THE prestigious Cavan Crystal Hotel five-year-old final on Sunday afternoon was won by Aidan Killeen riding the Dutch-bred gelding Chaplin Du Vi. By Chellsini Z out of Merci du Vi by Clinton II, the gelding is owned by his rider.

Originally from Portlaoise, Killeen returned to Ireland last spring after eight years spent living in America and is now based at Waterside Stud in Co Meath. He was a member of the Nations Cup team which recorded a double of wins last May in Norway and Denmark, but this is his first big win on home soil since his return to Ireland.

Killeen said: “I’m delighted with the win. He is a really nice horse with a good brain. He learns quickly and understands enough to make him quite an easy ride.

“We bought him in Germany last year, he isn’t Irish-bred so he doesn’t qualify for any of the Irish Horse Board or Dublin classes so that’s probably why he hasn’t been seen as much as some other nice youngsters this year and why we were concentrating on having him ready to go for Cavan.

“I think a lot of him and think he is showing all the signs of having the potential to go all the way to international level.

“My plan now is for him to have a bit of a break, I’ll bring him to Spain with some other young horses I have in February and let him get a bit more experience,” he added.

A total of 39 starters were reduced to just 16 following the first round. From the 16, just four collected faults in round two which meant an even 12 progressed to the third and final round to battle it out for a share in the €6,500 prize fund.

First to go in the third and final round against the clock was CSF Trendy Lady, ridden by Joyce Veld. They were unlucky to have the penultimate fence down to finish on four faults in a time of 37.26 for eventual ninth place.

Next in was Velluto Delle Caccia and Shane Goggins. They too collected four faults at the second last fence, but they were a little faster in 34.84 for sixth place.

Kenneth Graham riding Tullabeg Jackson faulted at the second fence to join the first two combinations in the four-faulters bracket, their time of 38.85 pushed them back into 11th place.

Hilton Z and Ruari Clarke were going well until the second part of the double where they added four to their score in 36.80 which would see them into eighth place. Jessica Stallard and DHF Lift Off then had the third fence down and this disrupted their approach to the double where they faulted at both parts to finish on 12.

The sixth combination in, Martin Duffy riding Lisdeen Quality gave spectators the first triple clear round of the class, they stopped the clock in 37.05 which would only be good enough for fifth place.

Next in, Poshes Legacy and Mark Finnerty then matched Duffy’s clear but sliced several seconds off his time to break the beam at 33.86 and claim the runner-up spot in the final line-up.

Barry Griffin and SBH Diamond In A Rough came very close to catching Finnerty when he left all the fences up but was just off the mark with his time of 34.33 for third place.

Ovidius VS de Kooldries, ridden by Sligo’s Richard Kerins, managed to keep all the fences up but was also too slow in 36.39 which meant he had to settle for fourth place.

Olive Clarke and HVL Bladerunner had the first part of the double down to see them out of the running in 10th place. Second last to go, Olivia Roulston riding Clonvalent then joined Clarke on a score of four when she had the third fence down in 35.06 for seventh place.

Killeen had the advantage of being the final rider in with Chaplin Du Vi. Having carefully watched the previous 11 combinations, he had planned his route to each fence with precision. Accurate turns and a forward pace saw the pair cross the finish in 33.08, well ahead of their closest rivals to secure the win and the lion’s share of the prize fund.